WO1997002387A1

WO1997002387A1 - Sanitary system and method for utilization of used household water

Info

Publication number: WO1997002387A1
Application number: PCT/FI1996/000387
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timo ERÄMAA
Original assignee: West Business Oy
Priority date: 1995-07-05
Filing date: 1996-07-02
Publication date: 1997-01-23
Also published as: SE9700786D0; FI96628C; SE9700786L; FI96628B; FI953311A0

Abstract

The invention concerns a sanitary system and a method in which used household water is used as flushing water for a toilet bowl, said system comprising a storage tank (20) and a duct (25) passing from it into the flush water cistern (12) of the toilet bowl. The sanitary system comprises a water recirculation equipment, in which water can be circulated between the storage tank (20) and the flush cistern (12) of the toilet bowl.

Description

Sanitary system and method for utilization of used household water

The invention concerns a sanitary system and a method for utilization of used household water.

From the prior art, sanitary systems are known in which contaminated household water is used as flush water for a toilet bowl. In this respect, reference is made to the publications US 5,341,529, US 5,317, 766 and US 5,274,861.

The prior-art solutions are relatively complicated and do not permit renewals of existing sanitary solutions economically. Contaminations in wash water block the prior-art equipment, and their cleaning, maintenance and repair are expensive. The prior art solutions require repeated washing of the containers manually in order to avoid drawbacks of odours and problems caused by bacteria.

In the present patent application, a system is described in which the flush water for the water closet is taken from drain water, for example from the water of a hand wash basin. In the system, in connection with the hand wash basin, preferably a turning valve is used, by whose means the flow of the used water, so-called drain water, to the storage tank is regulated. From the storage tank the drain water is pumped further into the flush water cistern of the toilet bowl.

According to the invention, for the drain water a recirculation system is used, in which the water pumped from the storage tank is passed first into the flush water cistern of the toilet bowl, from which cistern there is further a return duct back into the storage tank. Further, in connection with the storage tank, the system solution includes a metering opening, through which a detergent can be added to the storage tank. In the duct between the flush water cistern and the storage tank, there is a pump, which is operated by means of a limit switch placed in the flush water cistern. Always when the limit switch, such as a float switch, indicates that the level of the water surface in the flush cistern has gone below a certain limit, the pump is operated and water is pumped from the storage tank into the flush water cistern.

According to the invention, the storage tank preferably includes a level regulator. The level regulation can consist, for example, of an overflow pipe opening into the sewer system, and the height of the top end of said pipe in the storage tank can be adjusted. When the liquid level in the storage tank is higher than the end of said overflow pipe, water flows from the storage tank as overflow into the drain pipe.

According to the invention. a valve is preferably used in connection with the hand wash basin. When the spindle of the valve is rotated, the flow of drain water into the storage tank can be opened and closed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flush water cistern includes an additional cistern in connection with it, into which additional cistern clean water can be passed from outside the system and from which cistern a duct passes through a back pressure valve into the water line between the storage tank and the flush water cistern. Between the storage tank and the flush water cistern there is also a back pressure valve. In such a case the flow into the flush water cistern of the toilet bowl can be passed either from the storage tank or from the additional cistern depending on whether the water pressure at the outlet side of the back pressure valve placed at the discharge of the additional cistern is higher or lower than in the additional cistern itself.

In an embodiment of the invention, the drain water from the shower is passed by means of a pump device directly into the storage tank.

When a directional valve is used in connection with a hand wash basin, it is prefer- ably a ball valve or a cylinder valve. The displaceable control piece of the valve comprises a curved guide face. The valve can preferably be controlled from the level of the top edge of the hand wash basin by turning a hand lever connected with the valve spindle to the position determined by the desired control.

The invention is characterized in what is stated in the patent claims.

The invention will be described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein some embodiments of the invention are illustrated, the invention being, however, not supposed to be confined to said embodiments alone.

Figure 1 is an illustration of principle of a sanitary system in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a pipe lead-in in accordance with the invention to the flush water cistern of a toilet bowl. The illustration is a sectional view in part of the bottom portion of the flush water cistern of the toilet bowl.

Figure 3 shows a second preferred embodiment of the invention, which includes an additional cistern.

Figure 4A shows a directional valve placed undemeath a hand wash basin, by means of which valve the drain water is passed into the storage tank when necessary.

Figure 4B is a sectional view of the construction shown in Fig. 4A.

Figure 4C shows a second preferred construction of the valve.

Fig. 1 shows an illustration of principle of a sanitary system in accordance with the invention. The system comprises a toilet bowl, i.e. a water closet 10, shown in Fig. 1. At the rear of the seat part 11 of the water closet 10, there is the flush water cistern 12 in a way in itself known. The flush water cistern 12 includes a bottom valve 13, which is operated by means of the lever 14 so as to pass the water into the basin part 15 of the toilet bowl and further along the walls of the basin part 15 through a water trap 16 into the sewer system 160. In the prior-art solutions, clean household water is passed into the flush water cistern to constitute flush water. In order to avoid this undue consumption of clean water, in the present application it is suggested that used household water, i.e. discharge water, is used as flush water for the toilet bowl.

As is shown in Fig. 1. the discharge pipe 18 of the hand wash basin 17 is connected with a directional valve 19, and by rotating the spindle of said valve, if necessary, the discharge water is passed into a storage tank 20. The storage tank 20 includes an overflow pipe 21 , the position of the end of said pipe being adjustable. The overflow pipe 21 is favourably made of a two-part pipe whose end can be adjusted telescopi¬ cally, and its displaceable end part 22 is attached to the stationary part 23. The fixed part 23 and the drain pipe include water traps 24,24'. The storage tank 20 preferably includes a detachable cover 20' placed at its top. By removing the cover 20', it is possible to adjust the position of the pipe part 22 and the level of overflow.

From the storage tank 20, there is a duct 25 to the flush water cistern 12 of the toilet bowl. Similarly, from the flush water cistern 12 there is a retum duct 26 back to the storage tank 20. The duct 25 includes a pump 27, which is operated, for example, electrically by means of a limit switch, e.g. a float K, placed in the flush water cistern and indicating the liquid level. When the surface level in the flush water cistern has gone below a certain limit value, a report concerning this arrives from the limit switch, and the pump device 27 is operated, in which case water is pumped from the storage tank 20 through the duct, i.e. the pipe 25, into the flush water cistern 12. Further, in connection with the flush water cistern 12, there is a retum duct 26 into the storage tank 20. The end of the retum duct 26 operates as an overflow pipe of the flush cistern, from which water is passed as possible overflow from the vicinity of the limit switch from the top portion of the cistern back into the storage tank 20, or when a washing cycle is operated. The continuous level regula- tion in the storage tank makes it possible that the unit of equipment is suitable for installation with different types and designs of toilet bowls at different levels of installation. The line 25 and/or 26 preferably also includes a filter 100. The clean water for the hand wash basin is taken from the tap 200. The storage tank 20 includes a plug Di . When the plug is opened, a detergent can be added to the tank. Through the duct D₂, e.g., used shower water can be passed into the tank 20.

The retum flow and the recycling flow by means of the pump 27, carried out in accordance with the invention, make the system reliable and protected from leakage and permit reliable and easy washing of the system. Thus, the retum flow system guarantees a reliable overflow protection for the water flowing out of the storage tank. In the wash cycle program, the pump 27 is switched on positively irrespective of the position of the float K and the limit switch in the flush water cistern.

When a directional valve 19 is employed undemeath the hand wash basin 17, it is permitted that the storage tank can be filled when needed, and clean washing water can also be passed into the storage tank so as to produce recirculation washing by means of clean water. In the wash cycle it is possible to circulate clean water taken from the tap 200, to which water a detergent may have been added, or by opening the plug D_j it is possible to add an acid/ alkaline liquid and to circulate said liquid between the storage tank 20 and the flush water cistern 12.

Of course, within the scope of the invention, an embodiment is possible in which, for example, used drain water coming from the shower is passed directly into the storage tank. Then, in the pipe between the water collecting basin of the shower and the storage tank there may be, for example, an electrically or mechanically operated pump, which is operated when water is passed into the storage tank.

Fig. 2 is a more detailed illustration of the lead-in of pipes into the flush water cistern 12 of the toilet bowl. The intake water is passed (arrow L-=) along the duct 25 through the back pressure valve 28 through the lead-in opening A in the bottom D of the flush water cistern 12 onto the bottom of the cistern 12. The lead-in includes a seal F. Placed centrally in the inlet flow duct 25 of the cistern, there is the retum duct 26, through which (arrow L2) circulation water is passed as overflow from the top portion of the flush water cistern 12 back into the storage tank 20. Thus, in the present application, a return-flow and water recirculation system are described in which, by means of the pump 27, a wash circulation can be produced by whose means the tank, the pipes and the flush cistem of the toilet bowl can be cleaned easily and with little work. The system in accordance with the present invention is non-blocking and easy to disassemble and to cleanse.

The lead-in arrangement has been constructed so that the system of clean water can be allowed to remain as it is if there is a hole for the lead-in of a pipe in the bottom of the flush water cistem.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the inlet duct 25 is connected with an outlet duct 29 from an additional cistem 30. If, out of some reason, dis¬ charge water is not available, it is possible to use clean household water, which is passed through the duct 31 (arrow L3) into the additional cistem 30 and from it further, if necessary, into the flush water cistem 12. Thus, into the additional cistem 30, there is a duct of clean household water, i.e. the pipe 31, and from said cistem there is an outlet duct 29 into the duct 25 between the storage tank 20 and the flush water cistem 12. The outlet duct 29 includes a back pressure valve 33. Depending on the pressure present across the back pressure valve 33, it is automatically possible to pass clean water from the additional cistem 30 into the flush water cistem 12.

The additional cistem 30 includes a float device 34 in itself known, which includes a pipe 35 passing into the cistem 30 and connected with the pipe 31, a float 36, and a closing valve 37 present in the pipe 35 and coupled with the arm of the float 36. Thus, when the water rises in the additional cistem 30, the float 36 rises along with the water level, and after a certain limit level the closing valve 37 reaches the closed position and closes the flow out of the inlet pipe 35. Similarly, the valve 37 is opened when the float of the float device goes below a certain limit level. It is a preferable surface level arrangement that the highest level is the level set by the end of the retum pipe 26, the second-highest level is the level set in the tank 20 by means of the pipe 22. The lowest level is the level determined by the float K and the level determined by the float 36 in the additional cistem 30. Fig. 4 A shows a directional valve 19 which is a ball valve. The spindle of the ball valve 19 is controlled by means of the turning lever M. The water is passed by means of the valve 19 into the sewer system 180 and/or through the connecting pipe N into the storage tank 20.

As is shown in Fig. 4B, the valve spindle 38 includes a duct 39, which includes a conical widening 40 in its inlet end. When the spindle 38 is rotated (arrow S_j) (Fig. 4A), the position of the spindle can be chosen as desired and the discharge water be passed either into the storage tank 20 or directly through the water trap 24' into the sewer 180. Depending on the position of rotation, the duct 39 communicates with the line N passing into the tank 20 or with the line 180 to the sewage system. An embodiment is also possible in which part of the water is passed into the sewage line 180 and part into the line N and the tank 20. Further, an embodiment is also possible in which the valve 19 closes the water flow completely at the same time both into the storage tank 20 and into the sewage system 180.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4C, the ball valve can also be a cylindrical construction, in which case a feature common of the above ball-spindle constmction and the cylinder-spindle constmction is the curved guide face that is used.

Claims

1. A samtary system in which used household water is used as flushing water for a toilet bowl, said system comprising a storage tank (20) and a duct (25) passing from it into the flush water cistem (12) of the toilet bowl, characterized in that the sanitary system comprises a water recirculation equipment, in which water can be circulated between the storage tank (20) and the flush cistem (12) of the toilet bowl.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that there is a retum duct (26) between the flush water cistem (12) and the storage tank (20), in which case it is possible to circulate the water from the storage tank by means of a pump device (27) into the flush cistem of the toilet bowl and back.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the system includes a pump device (27), which is fitted in the duct (25) between the storage tank (20) and the flush water cistern (12) of the toilet bowl.

4. A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pipe duct (25) and the return duct (26) have been fitted in such a way centrally in relation to one another that one of the pipes is placed inside the other, and that the pipe unit (25,26) has been passed through the bottom of the flush water cistem (12) of the water closet and sealed by means of sealing means (F), and that the end of the retum pipe duct (26) is placed above the end of the pipe duct (25) in the flush water cistem (12), an overflow being passed through the retum duct (26) back into the storage tank (20).

5. A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pump device (27) is electrically operated and that it is connected with a limit switch, preferably a float device, which is fitted in the flush water cistem of the toilet bowl, the pump (27) being switched on and off in accordance with the position of the float.

6. A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface level in the storage tank (20) in the system can be adjusted by means of an overflow pipe (21), the height position of the end of said pipe in the storage tank (20) being adjustable.

7. A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sewage arrangement of the storage tank (20) and of the wash basin (17) or of any other water collecting space is connected with a directional valve (19), by whose means the water can be regulated to pass into the storage tank (20) or directly into the sewage system.

8. A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system includes an additional cistem (30) for clean water, from which a duct passes into the flush water cistem of the toilet bowl, preferably through a back pressure valve and preferably so that said duct is connected to the pipe duct (25) between the storage tank and the flush water cistem.

9. A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pipe duct (25 and/or 26) between the storage tank (20) and the flush water cistem (12) includes a filter (100).

10. A method for utilization of used household water, in which method the used household water is passed into a storage tank (20) and from it into the flush water cistem of a toilet bowl, characterized in that, in the method, liquid, preferably water, is circulated between the storage tank (20) and the flush water cistem (12) of the toilet bowl.